Secrets
by kleerliegiglebox
Summary: Continued on One White Tulip sn: There's a new student at Hogwart and she's become fast friends with the trio. But she has an intresting background full of secrets that will effect the way this war plays out.


Chapter 1

Harry Potter was very happy to be returning to Hogwarts for his sixth year. As usual, his summer had been less than desirable and he was eager to get back to the normal jive of things at school. He entered platform 9 and ¾ with Hermione and Ron, his two best friends. As they walked towards the train Ron told a joke, trying to lighten the mood. Everyone laughed although it was very hollow. All of the adults had been nervous and on edge this summer, ever since the announcement that the Dark Lord had returned.

They loaded all their luggage onto the train and stepped off to say goodbye to their parents. Harry waited patiently as the other two sat through the long dragged out speeches of what kind of behavior was unacceptable and reminders to eat their veggies everyday. They in turn complained that they were old enough to remember and should be left alone. As Harry waited, his attention wandered to a crowd where a girl had just emerged. She looked about his age and would probably be in his year, yet he had never seen her before. Wouldn't he have in his five years at the school? She walked over to the train and paused, then turned around and looked through the crowd. All of the sudden Harry and her eyes met. She gave him a small smile and stepped onto the train.

"Wow, did you just see that girl?" Ron said with his mouth hanging open. "She's amazing"

"Who?" Harry replied as he sprang back to reality.

"So you didn't see her, too bad, but I guess you will at school 'cause she just got on the train."

"Speaking of the train," said Hermione, "we should be getting on too, it should be leaving in," she paused to look at her watch, "thirty seconds." They waved one more time and ran to the train.

The three of them sat together in the very last car talking about their plans for the upcoming year when suddenly the door opened. They looked up to find the girl who Harry had seen earlier coming through the door. Looking at her a second time Harry realized that this was probably the girl that Ron had mentioned. She had bright wavy auburn hair that went down to her mid back and blue eyes that made you feel like you were on a beach on the Mediterranean Sea. She was wearing a light white skirt that went down to her knees, a pink collared shirt with a white cashmere sweater and pink pumps.

"May I join you?" she asked politely. They shrugged and she sat down next to Ron who went bright red.

"Thanks, my name's Elizabeth but everyone calls my Liz."

"Well Liz, I'm Ron, and this is Harry and Hermione." said Ron making a failed attempt at being smooth.

"Harry Potter?"

"Um, Ya." Harry said blushing almost as red as Ron.

"I thought that might be you," she sounded relieved. "I've been looking for you for the last week. I have a," she paused "something for you."

The mood became tense and the three looked at her warily. She seemed friendly enough but you never knew these days. All the lectures from their parents suddenly sprung into their heads, "never trust strangers" that sort of thing.

"Mainly it's for Harry but Dumbledore and I felt that it would be best if you two were involved as well."

When the trio heard Dumbledore's name they relaxed.

Harry was first to speak, "Ok so what is it?"

"It's a proposition. If we make an alliance, we give each other mutual protection, plus we send a message to Voldemort. A message that we're a force to recon with."

Ron and Hermione didn't wince at Voldemort's name anymore, Harry said his name so frequently these days that if they did, their faces would probably go into spasms.

Then Hermione thoughtfully asked, "I know why Voldemort wants to kill Harry but, no offence, why would he have a death warrant for you?"

Liz tensed up, "It's a really long story."

"It's a really long train ride."

"Do we have a deal? Us four will ban together"

The three looked at each other, then nodded. "Yes"

Another long pause, then making up her mind she said, "This is to be repeated to no one understood? Very few know the entire story in its truth."

They nodded again.

She took a deep breath and continued, "Well, for the past nine years I have been Lord Voldemort's prisoner." She ignored their raised eyebrows and went on, "I grew up in an orphanage but when I was seven I was adopted by man named Quirrell who worked for Lord Voldemort. They had gone in search for a strong power for many years and finally when traveling on winter vacation Quirrell happened upon me. That year the dam in my little city broke and Quirrell was there to see me, a little seven year old, stop the cascading waters and repair the dam. Even to this day I don't remember how I did it. It was just second nature, instinct. That very day he came and adopted me. He told me I was a witch with extraordinary abilities and started to teach me how to use my magic. Eventually, when they felt I was ready they told me about a prophecy saying there would be a counter power to The Boy Who Lived, this power would determine the outcome of the war based on which side it joined. They told me of how you defeated Lord Voldemort, and that you were the Boy Who Lived. I am that counter power. He thought if he raised me I would be on his side and counter you. He was probably furious and terrified when I escaped to join you."

"From the beginning I never intended to kill anyone, it just wasn't in my nature. But I willingly submitted to their teaching. I learned about everything; magical and muggle because I actually attended a muggle school too, so no one would ask questions. By the age of ten I was the equivalent of a seventh year at Hogwarts. But they were tough teachers; they expected me to get everything on my first try. If not it was the crucius."

Hermione cut in, "You were seven learning advanced magic. How did they expect you to get it on the first try? You poor thing"

"Aw after about a year of it you build up a resistance and it's not as bad. It became a game to me, trying to break it in the shortest amount of time. I got it down to 3 seconds once." Liz said thoughtfully, almost as if she were reminiscing. "Unfortunately I didn't realize until too late that that was exactly what they wanted me to do. "

Amazed Hermione exclaimed, "You broke the crucius in 3 seconds."

Embarrassed Liz went on, "Do you want to hear the rest of the story or not?"

Harry put a hand on Hermione's shoulder to silence her, then looked at Liz, "Yes please."

"Well, at that time I was living in a small cottage. I found a secret passageway leading from my room to what looked like a nursery. I read hungrily wanting so much to know everything about my mom. What had happened? Why did I end up in an orphanage? Was this my old nursery? What was she like? It was in reading her diary that I discovered that there was good magic and bad magic. I was now on the bad side, but that night I resolved to get out and join forces with the good side like my mother had been. It took three years of planning and lots of foiled escape attempts, but finally about a year ago in June I had my chance. We had traveled to a new location several months before in preparation for something big. They wouldn't tell me what it was but I knew it was important. Then one night everyone was gone from the house, which never happened. I jumped on the opportunity; I was gone before you even showed up Harry. Yes, that was the night he came back. After many months of running and hiding, wandering from place to place, I made my way to Diagon Alley.While I was reading the Daily Prophet I recognized a name that I knew, my mother had said in her diary that he was her father; Albus Dumbledore"

"Your grandfather is Albus Dumbledore?" Ron asked in unbelief.

"Yes," she smiled, "Isn't he wonderful? But don't tell anyone, only Dumbledore and we know, and I'd like to keep it that way."

They nodded, feeling very childish, as if nodding their heads in obedience was all they could do.

"Anyway, I promptly wrote him a letter explaining my situation. The next day I was escorted by flew powder to Hogwarts to see him. There we had a wonderful reunion and decided that attending Hogwarts was what I should do and that we should create and alliance. And here I am."

She bit her lip waiting for their reaction to her story.

"That's quite unbelievable." said Harry slowly, still trying to comprehend everything that she had said.

"Yes, but then again everything lately is being quite unbelievable"

"But the question is; Do you believe it?" she asked eagerly

"Surprisingly, Yes"

"So I guess you're one of the gang now. It will be fun having another girl around." said Hermione and smiled.

The train continued to speed on and before they knew it they were chatting like old friends. They all loaded up on treats when nice woman came by and then, after Liz put an anti eavesdropping spell on the compartment, they continued with an in-depth discussion about the Order and some methods being used to defeat the Dark Lord.

After a few hours and several different topics, Liz interrupted them by putting up her hand.

"What is it?"

"Someone's coming."

She closed her eyes for a couple seconds, then opening them, she rolled her eyes and said to herself, "What a nuisance." To everyone else, "What ever happens let me handle this."

Just then the door swung open and there in the doorway stood Draco Malfoy.

He took one look at the compartment, then seeing Liz exclaimed, "Lizzy, darling, I've been looking all over for you. Why don't you come up to the front with all of _our_ friends?"

"Darling?" muttered Harry

"I'm quite comfortable where I am thank you," she replied

"But you'll ruin you reputation before you even get one. You do realize that Granger is a mudblood. Come back with me, with the decent human beings."

Ron scowled at mudblood then snorted at human beings

"I'm not ..." she tried to answer

He cut her off with, "Plus how would it look if my girlfriend was spending time with my archenemies."

The three looked at her, eyebrows raised.

She massaged her temples and continued, "Draco how many times do I have to tell you? We are not, have never, and will never be a couple and as I was saying before, I'm not like you guys, I'm not even a pure blood, and I would like to point out neither is that Dark Lord you all worship."

"But.."

She cut him off, "No Draco, I don't speak to you. It might ruin my reputation."

Draco pursed his lips, making it seem that he had none, turned on his heel, and stormed out slamming the door behind him.

"Well, that'll keep him off my back for a few hours. Chocolate Frog anyone?"

A/N: Hope you like it everyone. Please R/R. And Please! I'd like to be an author some day so constructive criticism is good. I'll try and get the next Chapter up soon but I have Exams next week so probably after that.


End file.
